Unwinding apparatus



- A. J. D. A. VOULGREI UNWINDING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FI-LED NOV. 9, 1918.

v Patented Oct. 18, 1921. 21 1'.

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PATENT OFFICE.

ANDRE JOSEPH DENIS ANTOINE VOULGRE, OF BAYONNE, FRANCE.

UNWINDING- AIPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Application filed November 9, 1918. Serial No. 261,808.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDRfi J osnrrr DENIS ANTOINE VOULGRE, citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Villa Toki-Ona, Bayonne, in the Republic of France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Unwinding Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in unwindingapparatus and has for its object to provide an apparatus by means of which a band, such as a cinematographic 'film, a

thread or a flexible hose, wound into a bobbin or reel, may be unwound from the center to the periphery.

In the annexed drawings which show diagrammatically an embodiment of the invention: I

Figure 1 is a vertical section along the line 44 in Fig.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the unwinding apparatus, certain parts beingomitted. I

In the unwinding apparatus shown in these figures, the shifting means is formed by a conical drum 26 secured on a vertical shaft 27 which may be rotated by the removable handle 28. The shaft 27 is rotatably supported in the bottom of the casing 29, a removable partition 30 and a lid 31. On the shaft 27, is freely mounted the cylindrical box 32 into which the bobbin a to be unwound may be inserted, the outer end V of the band being attached to a small hook 33 provided on the rim of the box. The inner end of the band is passed around the conical durm 26, through a slot 34 in the partition 30 and through a slot 35 in the casing. A roller 36 is mounted on the casing in a horizontal position, along one edge of said slot, to act as a guide for the hand.

Secured on the shaft. 27 is a bevel gear 37 meshing with a similar gear 38 keyed on a radially arranged shaft 39 upon which is splined a sleeve 40 carrying at one end a friction roller 41 in engagement with the box 32 and having its opposite end .42 threaded and normally in engagement with a fixed half nut 43 which is preferably pivoted on the casing 29 so that it may be disengaged from the threaded end 42 of the sleeve.

In operation, the bobbin ato be unreeled 1s placed in the box 32 in the space around the central conical drum 26 and the inner end of the band is passed about the drum and guided through the slots 34 and 35 as shown. By rotating the handle, the drum 26 will be actuated and the box 32 will be rotated by the friction rollers 41 at a gradually decreasing speed as the sleeve 40 moves along the shaft 39. The band is thus unwound at a substantially constant linear speed.

In certain cases, the shaft 27 may be left stationary and the band unwound by simply pulling the same out of the casing. In that case, the outer end of the band should not be hooked up to the box 32.

The invention is not limited to the details of construction shown or described.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An unwinding apparatus comprising in combination: acylindrical receptacle having an outer rim and open at one side, means for rotatably supporting said receptacle, 9. coaxially arranged conical 'drum having its small end projecting into the space within the outer rim, disconnectible operating means for rotating said conical drum at a constant speed, operating means adapted to drive the receptacle at a varying speed, means for receiving the article to be unwound as delivered by the drum and leaving the same free to move along a. line substantially normal to the axis of the drum and means for attaching one end of the article to the inside face of the said outer rim.

2. An unwinding apparatus comprislng in combination: acylindrical receptacle having an outer rim and open at one side,

means for rotatably supporting said receptacle, .a coaxially arranged conical drum having its small end projecting into the space within the outer rim, a bevel gear on the shaft of said receptacle, a radially arranged shaft, a bevel gear similar to the other and meshing with it keyed on said shaft, a sleeve splined upon said shaft, a friction-roller at one end of said sleeve in engagement with said receptacle, a fixed half-nut, pivoted on the casing and normally engaged with the other threaded end of said sleeve, the receptacle being thus 5 driven at varying speed, means for receiving the article to be unwound as delivered by the drum and leaving the same free to move along a line substantially normal to the axis of the drum and means for attach-i ing one end of the article to the inside face 10 of the said outer rim. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ANDRE JOSEPH DENIS ANTOINE VOULGRE. 

